Casein Kinase Stress-Related Polypeptides And Methods Of Use In Plants

Abstract

A transgenic plant transformed by a casein kinase Stress-related Polypeptide (CKSRP) coding nucleic acid, wherein expression of the nucleic acid sequence in the plant results in increased tolerance to environmental stress as compared to a wild type variety of the plant. Also provided are agricultural products, including seeds, produced by the transgenic plants. Also provided are isolated CKSRPs, and isolated nucleic acid coding CKSRPs, and vectors and host cells containing the latter.

1 - 26 . (canceled)  
     
     
         27 . A transgenic plant cell transformed with an isolated polynucleotide encoding a soybean polypeptide having casein kinase activity.  
     
     
         28 . The transgenic plant cell of  claim 27 , wherein the polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 56;    b) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 58;    c) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 62;    d) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 70;    e) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 57;    f) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 59;    g) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 63;    h) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 71;    i) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 57;    j) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 59;    k) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 63;    l) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 71;    m) a homolog of any of a) through h); and    n) a polynucleotide which hybridizes under highly stringent conditions to the complement of any of a) through h), wherein the stringent conditions comprise hybridization in a 6× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC) solution at 65° C.    
     
     
         29 . A transgenic plant which comprises an expression cassette comprising an isolated polynucleotide encoding a soybean polypeptide having casein kinase activity.  
     
     
         30 . The transgenic plant of  claim 29 , wherein the polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 56;    b) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 58;    c) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 62;    d) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 70;    e) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 57;    f) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 59;    g) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 63;    h) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 71;    i) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 57;    j) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 59;    k) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 63;    l) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 71;    m) a homolog of any of a) through h); and    n) a polynucleotide which hybridizes under highly stringent conditions to the complement of any of a) through h), wherein the stringent conditions comprise hybridization in a 6× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC) solution at 65° C.    
     
     
         31 . A seed which is true breeding for an isolated polynucleotide encoding a soybean polypeptide having casein kinase activity.  
     
     
         32 . The seed of  claim 31 , wherein the polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 56;    b) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 58;    c) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 62;    d) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 70;    e) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 57;    f) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 59;    g) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 63;    h) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 71;    i) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 57;    j) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 59;    k) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 63;    l) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 71;    m) a homolog of any of a) through h); and    n) a polynucleotide which hybridizes under highly stringent conditions to the complement of any of a) through h), wherein the stringent conditions comprise hybridization in a 6× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC) solution at 65° C.    
     
     
         33 . A method of producing a transgenic plant having increased tolerance to drought stress as compared to a wild type variety of the plant, comprising the steps of: 
 a) transforming a plant cell with an expression cassette comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a soybean polypeptide having casein kinase activity;    b) generating transgenic plants from the plant cell;    c) screening the transgenic plants for tolerance to drought stress; and    d) selecting transgenic plants that demonstrate increased tolerance to drought stress as compared to the wild type variety of the plant.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the polynucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 56;    b) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 58;    c) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 62;    d) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 70;    e) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 57;    f) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 59;    g) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 63;    h) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 71;    i) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 57;    j) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 59;    k) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 63;    l) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 71;    m) a homolog of any of a) through h); and    n) a polynucleotide which hybridizes under highly stringent conditions to the complement of any of a) through h), wherein the stringent conditions comprise hybridization in a 6× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC) solution at 65° C.    
     
     
         35 . An isolated or recombinant polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 56;    b) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 58;    c) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 62;    d) a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 70;    e) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 57;    f) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 59;    g) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 63;    h) a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 71;    i) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 57;    j) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 59;    k) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 63;    l) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% identity at the amino acid level to SEQ ID NO: 71;    m) a homolog of any of a) through h); and    n) a polynucleotide which hybridizes under highly stringent conditions to the complement of any of a) through h), wherein the stringent conditions comprise hybridization in a 6× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC) solution at 65° C.    
     
     
         36 . The polynucleotide of  claim 35 , wherein the polynucleotide is in a plant expression cassette.